| Summary: | Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aircraft goes through a transition from moving along the ground (taxiing) to flying in the air, usually starting on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft such as the Harrier), no runway is needed. Takeoff is the opposite of landing. For light aircraft, usually full power is used during takeoff. Large transport category (airliner) aircraft may use a reduced power for takeoff, where less than full power is applied in order to prolong engine life, reduce maintenance costs and reduce noise emissions. In some emergency cases, the power used can then be increased to increase the aircraft's performance. Before takeoff, the engines, particularly piston engines, are routinely run up at high power to check for engine-related problems. The aircraft is permitted to accelerate to rotation speed (often referred to as V.). The term rotation is used because the aircraft pivots around the axis of its main landing gear while still on the aircraft attitude. ground, usually because of manipulation of the flight controls to make this change in wings and liftoff effect. The nose is raised to a nominal 5°-15° nose up pitch attitude to increase lift from the require cruise speeds while still on the runway. For most aircraft, attempting a takeoff without a pitch-up would. Fixed-wing aircraft designed for high-speed operation (such as commercial jet aircraft) have difficulty generating enough lift at the low speeds encountered during takeoff.
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